Device and method for feeding material webs to a processing device

ABSTRACT

A delivery device for feeding planar material webs, for example airlaids, wetlaids, non-wovens, or films/foils, to a processing installation is proposed, said delivery device having a splicing unit and a multiple-web unwinding device. The splicing unit is configured for connecting a fibrous-web end of a preceding individual fibrous web to a fibrous-web lead of a subsequent individual fibrous web, so as to in this way feed a non-interrupted fibrous web to the processing installation. The splicing unit is moreover configured for processing airlaid fibrous webs that are wound on winding cores and are thus made up as roll goods. The multiple-web unwinding device has at least two winding-core mounts that are capable of being loaded in a mutually independent manner. Each of the winding-core mounts may receive a plurality of comparatively narrow rolls having narrower individual fibrous webs, or alternatively also a comparatively wider roll having a wider multiple fibrous web that is perforated in the unwinding direction. By virtue of the perforation, the wider multiple fibrous web may be detached so as to form a plurality of individual fibrous webs by severing along the perforation, such that as a result narrow fibrous webs may likewise be fed to the splicing unit, as is possible in the case of correspondingly narrow rolls having narrower individual fibrous webs.

The invention relates to a delivery device for feeding material webssuch as films/foils, for example, and in particular fibrous webs ofwet-laid or dry-laid fibrous material (non-wovens), such as wetlaid,paper, or airlaid fibrous webs, to a processing installation, and to amethod for feeding airlaid fibrous webs to a processing installation.

Airlaid fibrous webs are used in the production of diapers, incontinencearticles, sanitary napkins, panty liners, and the like, for example. Tothis end, the airlaid fibrous webs are supplied in the form of rolls orbales (blocks), and for processing by a respective processinginstallation are then cut off from the roll or from the fibrous web thathas been folded to a bale, and processed, for example laminated or thelike.

Airlaid fibrous webs are a non-woven-like material in which the fiberswith the aid of an air stream are laid up in an (almost) dry manner on abelt, so as to form a fibrous web. In the case of wetlaid fibrous webs,the fibers are made available so as to be distributed for example inliquid and are scooped from the liquid, for example water.

For example, airlaid fibrous webs are produced as a non-woven in adry-laid process as is described for example in WO 86/000097 A1 or EP 0194 607 A2.

In the case of the material web being supplied in rolls, that is to sayas roll goods, the roll has to be changed whenever the fibrous web froma respective roll has been fully unwound. The issue arises herein thatan individual roll typically contains 800 to 1000 linear meters offibrous web and is unwound at a drawing-in speed of up to 400 m/min, sothat a respective roll is completely unwound already after 2 to 3minutes, and the remaining empty winding core of the roll then has to bereplaced by a full roll and be connected by splicing. A furtherdisadvantage of roll goods is that the risk of “telescoping” exists inparticular in the case of narrow fibrous webs and of accordingly narrowrolls, that is to say that the wound layers of the wound fibrous web maylaterally slide from the roll.

In order for the issues that are associated with individual rolls to bealleviated, material webs prior to being processed may be wound onspools (“spooling”). Herein, also narrow fibrous webs may be processed,and the running length per spool is significantly larger than in thecase of individual rolls, on account of which the frequency ofreplacement of the rolls is substantially reduced. It is disadvantageousthat the production of the spools requires a further separate processstep, on account of which the production costs are significantlyincreased (10 to 30%).

Alternatively, the material web may also be supplied in bale form as ablock which is generated by reciprocating deposition of the materialweb. This reciprocating deposition is also referred to as festooning andleads to compact blocks or bales which, compared to roll goods ofsimilar storage volume, contain a longer length of material web. Theproduction of such block goods is described in DE 102 27 653, forexample. The retrieval of the fibrous web is then performed by so-calleddefestooning or by deplaiting. In a manner similar to spooling, theblock goods offer the advantage of offering a longer length of fibrousweb at a given packing volume. This is offset by higher productioncosts, since block goods (compared to roll goods), in a manner similarto spooling, require an additional production step of making up by meansof a festooner (production costs increased by approx. 10 to 30%).Moreover, in the case of block goods there is the risk of twisting ofthe fibrous web during depositing. Block goods are also unsuitable forlayered material, that is to say when the fibrous web is a non-wovenwhich as an upper ply (upper layer) has another material composition orembossing than in a lower ply (lower layer). Due to the festoon-shapeddeposition process, the mechanical stress on the fibrous web isrelatively high, requiring a minimum strength and a minimum elongation.Festooning is also problematic in the case of materials that arerelatively rigid in terms of kinking, since the point of kinking is notcompletely removed during deplaiting, leading to issues in processing.

Against this background, it is an objective of the invention to offer asolution that offers the advantages of spooling and festooning, thatavoids the additional process steps (costs) associated with spooling andfestooning, and moreover is suitable for processing narrow fibrous websand rigid materials, or materials having low strength and elongation,respectively. According to the invention, a delivery device, having asplicing unit and a multiple-web unwinding device, for feeding materialwebs to a processing installation is proposed, on the one hand. Thesplicing unit is configured for connecting a material-web end of apreceding individual material web to a material-web lead of a subsequentindividual material web, so as in this way to be able to feed anon-interrupted material web to the processing installation. Moreover,the splicing unit is configured for processing material webs such asfilm/foils, and in particular material webs of non-wovens such aswetlaid or airlaid fibrous webs that are wound on winding cores and thusare made up as roll goods. The multiple-web unwinding device has atleast two winding-core mounts which are capable of being loaded in amutually independent manner. Each of the winding-core mounts may receivea plurality of comparatively narrow rolls having narrower individualmaterial webs or else, alternatively, a comparatively wider roll havinga wider multiple material web that is perforated in the unwindingdirection. The wider multiple material web by virtue of the perforationmay be detached to form a plurality of individual material webs bysevering along the perforation such that as a result, material webs arefed to the splicing unit that are just as narrow as is possible in thecase of correspondingly narrow rolls having narrower individual materialwebs. When perforated multiple material webs are used, the advantagelies in that the former in the production process of the (for example,airlaid, carded, spun-bonded web, or film/foil) material web may be madewithout any additional process step in line, or during rewinding,respectively, on account of which an additional effort such as ariseswhen festooning or spooling, is avoided.

A delivery device of this type offers the advantage that themultiple-web unwinding device has two winding-core mounts that arecapable of being loaded in a mutually independent manner and that eachmay be loaded such that each winding-core mount in the case of beingfully loaded carries a plurality of wound-up individual material websbeside one another. The individual material webs that are disposedbeside one another herein may be present in the form of separateindividual rolls, or preferably in the form of a perforated multiplematerial web. Once an individual material web has been consumed, thesplicing unit may thus always be fed the lead of a new individualmaterial web from the respective other winding-core mount in anextremely short time such that an extremely rapid changeover from oneindividual material web to another individual material web of all theindividual material webs that are provided on the two winding-coremounts of the multiple-web unwinding device is possible.

Once all the provided individual material webs on a respectivewinding-core mount have been consumed, new individual material webs maybe rapidly provided, specifically and preferably in the form of acorrespondingly wider multiple material web. Depending on the capacityof the winding-core mounts, reloading of this type of the winding-coremount has to be carried out in a correspondingly less frequent mannerthan is the case with the replacement of the individual rolls in theprior art. It is thus possible for the roll goods that are to bepreferred for technological and production reasons to be employedwithout bearing the disadvantages (frequent roll changeovers) that areotherwise associated therewith in the prior art.

In order for the aforementioned objective to be achieved, a method forfeeding airlaid material webs to a processing installation is alsoproposed, according to which method on at least two winding-core mountsin each case a plurality of airlaid material webs that are wound onwinding cores and thus are made up as roll goods are provided either inthe form of in each case a plurality of comparatively narrow rollshaving narrow individual material webs, or in the form of acomparatively wider roll having a wider multiple material web that isperforated in the unwinding direction, wherein the wider multiplematerial web is capable of being detached by severing along theperforations of a plurality of individual material webs. The use of thewider perforated multiple material web offers the advantage that alsovery narrow webs which cannot be produced as an individual roll may beprocessed. According to this method, the individual material webs arealternatingly unwound from one or the other winding-core mount, and arespective material web end of a preceding individual material web isconnected to a material web lead and a subsequent individual materialweb by splicing such that a non-interrupted material web is fed to theprocessing installation.

The delivery device preferably has more than two winding-core mounts,and one material-web accumulator that is assigned to each winding-coremount. A respective winding-core mount and the material-web accumulatorassigned thereto, optionally jointly with further components, form ineach case an unwinding unit, and are a component part of a respectiveunwinding device. The material-web accumulator may have one or aplurality of tension rollers as significant component parts, forexample. One delivery device may thus be formed in each case by onesplicing unit and a plurality of unwinding units that are assigned tosaid splicing unit.

The multiple-web unwinding device preferably has a total of fourwinding-core mounts that are capable of being loaded in a mutuallyindependent manner. In this way, it is possible for the splicing unit tobe fed in each case one individual material web in an alternating mannerfrom two of the winding-core mounts, while the other two winding-coremounts are able to be loaded with new full material web rolls, forexample. Thus, the continuous, that is to say non-interrupted, deliveryprocedure to the processing installation may be further extended,because individual material webs from the two other material web rollsare able to already be fed to the splicing unit before the empty windingcores and the empty material web rolls have been retrieved from therespective two winding-core mounts and have been replaced by new fullmaterial web rolls. Replacing the empty winding cores with full materialweb rolls may thus be performed while the splicing unit is fedindividual material webs also from the other two material web rolls onthe two additional winding-core mounts. The time interval for themultiple-material web changeover procedure is significantly extended incomparison to the running time of an individual material web, since therunning time of the last individual material web on one side no longerdetermines the maximum changeover interval.

The winding-core mounts are in each case preferably disposed in pairs soas to be mutually aligned and so as to be mutually opposite in aparallel manner, that is to say that two mutually aligned winding-coremounts are opposite so as to be parallel with two further likewisemutually aligned winding-core mounts. The splicing unit is preferablydisposed so as to be approximately centric between all winding-coremounts.

Alternatively, it is also possible for the delivery device to have acentral splicing unit, in combination with another, in particular anodd, number of winding-core mounts.

Moreover, the winding-core mounts and respective unwinding devices mayalso be disposed so as to be mutually parallel.

The multiple-web unwinding device preferably has a plurality of tensionrollers which are disposed such that the latter hold a respectiveindividual material web to be unwound so as to be tensioned by a definedforce. This is particularly advantageous because the individual materialwebs that are disposed beside one another on one material web roll areinterconnected such that, overall, an initially relative large rotatingmass that is reduced in the course of production results, and becausethe material web rolls have to be regularly decelerated and acceleratedagain, depending on which material web roll an individual material webis being removed from at a given time. Since irregularities in terms ofthe circumferential speed of a respective individual material web reelmay arise herein, tension rollers which absorb these variations areadvantageous. Tension rollers and the associated winding-core mount ineach case form one unwinding device.

The invention is now to be explained in more detail by means of anexemplary embodiment with reference to the figures in which:

FIG. 1: shows a side view of a delivery device according to theinvention;

FIG. 2: shows a plan view of a delivery device according to theinvention; and

FIG. 3: shows a plan view of a delivery device having a separatelypositioned splicing unit, enabling a parallel arrangement of a pluralityof unwinding units.

The delivery device 10 depicted in FIGS. 1 and 2 has a splicing unit 12and a multiple-web unwinding device 14 with winding-core mounts 16 and18, the latter in the depicted example in each case being loaded withone fibrous-web roll 20 and 22. Each of the fibrous-web rolls 20 and 22has one winding core 24 and 26, respectively, a perforated multiplefibrous web 28 or 30, respectively, being wound on each of said cores 24and 26. Each of the multiple fibrous webs 28 and 30, respectively, isprovided with perforations 32 along which the respective multiplefibrous web 28 or 30, respectively, may be detached so as to form aplurality of individual fibrous webs 34. Thus, the fibrous webs 34 arepresent as roll goods in the form of a perforated, wider multiplefibrous web.

The exemplary embodiments each refer to a delivery device for feedingairlaid fibrous webs to a processing installation. The material webs inthe exemplary embodiments are thus airlaid fibrous webs. However, theexemplary embodiments apply in a corresponding manner to deliverydevices for films/foils or other planar fibrous webs, for examplewetlaid fibrous webs, or paper.

As can be derived from FIG. 2, the fibrous-web roll 20 that is to theleft in the image carries fourteen individual fibrous webs, while thefibrous-web roll 22 that is to the right in the image carries (now only)thirteen individual fibrous webs. Accordingly, part of the winding core26 of the fibrous-web roll 22 may be identified.

As can also be identified, the splicing unit 12 during operation issimultaneously being fed an individual fibrous web 34 from thatfibrous-web roll 20 that is to the left in the image, and a secondindividual fibrous web 34 from that fibrous-web roll 22 that is to theright in the image. In the state that is schematically illustrated inFIGS. 1 and 2, an individual fibrous web 34 is just being unwound fromthat fibrous-web roll 20 that is to the left in the image and is beingfed to the processing installation, while a lead of the next individualfibrous web of that fibrous-web roll 22 that is to the right in theimage has indeed already been fed to the splicing unit 12, but isconnected to an end of the individual fibrous web 34 that is presentlybeing unwound from the left fibrous-web roll 20 only once this end ofthe individual fibrous web 34 has been reached. Subsequently, the nextindividual fibrous web of that fibrous-web roll 22 that is to the rightin the image is completely unwound, while a lead of the subsequentindividual fibrous web of that fibrous-web roll 20 that is to the leftin the image is available in the splicing unit 12, should the respectiveend of the individual fibrous web of that fibrous-web roll 22 that is tothe right in the image be reached.

Once an individual fibrous web 34 of the multiple fibrous webs 28 and 30has been unwound from the respective winding core 24 and 26, the windingcores 24 and 26 have to be retrieved from the winding-core mounts 16 and18 and to be replaced by full fibrous-web rolls

Since this takes time, it is advantageous for the delivery device 10 tonot only have two winding-core mounts 16 and 18 but instead fourwinding-core mounts (that is to say two times two winding-core mounts)which then are disposed on the other side of the splicing unit 12.Should the two fibrous-web rolls 20 and 22 be consumed, individualfibrous webs may be retrieved from those fibrous-web rolls that are madeavailable on the additional winding-core mounts, while the winding-coremounts 16 and 18 are being reloaded. In this way, an interruption ofproduction when reloading the winding-core mounts may be minimized, thatis to say that the non-interrupted delivery procedure to the processinginstallation is further extended.

It is indicated in FIG. 2 how two additional winding-core mounts may bedisposed, specifically such that those fibrous-web rolls that aredisposed on the additional winding-core mounts each are aligned with oneof the two fibrous-web rolls 20 or 22, respectively.

According to the exemplary embodiment, the roll goods are present in theform of a perforated wider multiple fibrous web which is wound onto acorrespondingly wide winding core and which is provided withperforations 32 along which the multiple fibrous web may be detached soas to form a plurality of individual fibrous webs.

As shown in FIG. 1, the multiple-web unwinding device 14 has a pluralityof tension rollers 36 which are tasked with keeping the respectiveindividual fibrous web 34 taut, and with absorbing and equalizing thevariations in the circumferential speed of the respective individualfibrous-web reel, which variations have been described at the outset. Asmentioned at the outset, one fibrous-web roll contains a plurality ofindividual fibrous-web reels that are disposed beside one another andwhich by way of a perforation and by way of a common winding core areinterconnected and in total have a large centrifugal mass that isreduced in the course of the individual fibrous web being drawn off. Inorder for the issues associated therewith to be minimized, it isadvantageous for the internal radius (the external diameter of thewinding core) to be enlarged in relation to that of usual fibrous-webrolls.

In the examples, the winding cores 24 and 26 are illustrated ascontinuous winding cores which extend approximately across the entirewidth of the fibrous-web rolls 20 or 22, respectively, and consequentlyacross a plurality of individual fibrous webs 34. Alternatively, it isalso possible for a separate winding-core portion to be provided foreach individual fibrous web 34, wherein the winding-core portionspreferably have a mutual spacing, of 5 or 10 mm, for example. Thisfacilitates the disposal of the winding-core portion that is associatedwith a respective individual fibrous web 34, when a respectiveindividual fibrous web 34 has been consumed. A winding core that iscomposed of a plurality of mutually segregated winding-core portions,wherein each individual fibrous web 34 has a dedicated winding-coreportion, is not illustrated in the figures.

It is illustrated in FIG. 3 that in principle any arbitrary number ofunwinding units, each having one winding-core mount and one fibrous-webaccumulator, may be assigned to a respective splicing unit 12. In theexemplary embodiment in FIG. 3, there are three winding-core mountswhich each are loaded with one fibrous-web roll, and correspondinglythree material-web accumulators 38 having respective tension rollers,that is to say three unwinding units, that are assigned to one splicingunit 12 and jointly with the latter form one delivery device 10′. Thethree unwinding units jointly form one unwinding device.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

10, 10′ Delivery device

12 Splicing unit

14 Multiple-web unwinding device

16, 18 Winding-core mounts

20, 22 Fibrous-web rolls

24, 26 Winding cores

28, 30 Multiple fibrous webs

32 Perforations

34 Individual fibrous webs

36 Tension rollers

38 Material-web accumulator

1. A delivery device for feeding planar material webs to a processinginstallation, characterized in that the delivery device has a splicingunit for connecting a material-web end of a preceding individualmaterial web to a material-web lead of a subsequent individual materialweb, so as to feed a non-interrupted material web to the processinginstallation, wherein the splicing unit is configured for processingmaterial webs that are wound on winding cores and are thus made up asrolls, and wherein the delivery device has a multiple-web unwindingdevice having at least two winding-core mounts that are capable of beingloaded in a mutually independent manner and that each may receive aplurality of comparatively narrow rolls having narrower individualmaterial webs or a comparatively wider roll having a wider multiplematerial web that is perforated in the unwinding direction, wherein thewider multiple material web may be detached so as to form a plurality ofindividual material webs by severing along the perforation.
 2. Thedelivery device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that thedelivery device has more than two winding-core mounts and onematerial-web accumulator that is assigned to each winding-core mount. 3.The delivery device as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that themultiple-web unwinding device has a total of four winding-core mountsthat are capable of being loaded in a mutually independent manner. 4.The delivery device as claimed in claim 3, characterized in that thewinding-core mounts are in each case disposed in pairs so as to bemutually aligned and so as to be mutually opposite in a parallel manner.5. The delivery device as claimed in claim 3, characterized in that thesplicing unit is disposed so as to be approximately centric between allfour winding-core mounts.
 6. The delivery device as claimed in claim 1,characterized in that the multiple-web unwinding device has a pluralityof tension rollers which are disposed such that the latter hold arespective individual material web to be unwound so as to be tensionedby a defined force.
 7. The delivery device as claimed in claim 6,characterized in that the tension rollers are a composite part of amaterial-web accumulator, wherein one dedicated material-web accumulatoris assigned to each winding-core mount.
 8. A method for feeding materialwebs to a processing installation, the method being characterized inthat on at least two winding-core mounts in each case a plurality ofmaterial webs that are wound on winding cores and thus are made up asrolls are provided either in the form of in each case a plurality ofcomparatively narrow rolls having narrower individual material webs, orin the form of a comparatively wider roll having a wider multiplematerial web that is perforated in the unwinding direction, wherein thewider multiple material web is capable of being detached by severingalong the perforation into a plurality of individual material webs; andthat individual material webs are alternatingly unwound from one or theother winding-core mount, and a respective material web end of apreceding individual material web is connected to a material web lead ofa subsequent individual material web by splicing such that anon-interrupted material web is fed to the processing installation.